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An Overview of Intelligent Ethylene Glycol Production Author/Source: Sanning Chemicals Date: 2020-09-07 Clicks: 85 In the company’s 600,000-ton ethylene glycol production project, which is nearing completion, the investment in automation and intelligence accounts for nearly 10%, a figure far higher than that seen in any previous projects. As a key initiative for Sanning Chemicals’ transformation and development in the field of intelligence, this project features various innovative approaches; today, we will take you through them in detail. The company’s ethylene glycol project fully adheres to the principles of circular economy development by adopting energy-efficient and environmentally friendly production methods, integrating advanced technologies from various countries, as well as intelligent control systems and equipment, in order to achieve green, intelligent, and intrinsically safe operations. To date, the project has seen the procurement of over 20,000 intelligent measuring instruments for the six main units – boilers, air separation, gasification, purification and synthesis, ethylene glycol, and urea – as well as various auxiliary utility systems. Among them, there are 76 sets in total, amounting to 65,000 points, including DCS systems that enable automation of the production process, CCS systems that ensure the safe and stable operation of large-scale units, GDS systems for real-time monitoring of toxic and flammable gases at the site, and SIS systems that guarantee production safety from the ground up. There are also over 3,000 instrumented control valves. Today, in the southeast corner of the site, two fully enclosed, intelligent circular coal silos stand out prominently; each of these silos is 70 meters tall, 150 meters in diameter, and designed to hold 400,000 tons of coal. In these two blue-and-white coal bins, various intelligent control devices and monitoring sensors are used in combination. Through the various movements of the loading arms as well as the 3D images of the coal layer generated by the monitoring sensors, intelligent management and unattended operation of the entire coal bin are achieved. The air separation unit is capable of producing 80,000 units of oxygen per hour, making it the largest operating facility in the field of air separation both in China and around the world. The rigorous production technology of the French company Air Liquide, combined with advanced equipment from German manufacturers such as Mann, as well as instrumentation from American companies like Bentley for shaft monitoring, ensures the stable and efficient operation of the three core machines: compressors, boosters, and turbines. Additionally, the CCS system enables anti-surge control, one-click start/stop functionality, and intelligent load control for these units. The highlights of the urea production area include not only the low-power \"5XX\" production lines but also 5 fully automatic packaging lines in the packaging facility. Thanks to the use of various intelligent laser sensors and robotic arms, intelligent control is achieved across all stages (unloading, bagging, sealing, coding, packaging, stacking, and transportation). The central control building, which is a fully reinforced concrete blast-resistant structure, serves as the nerve center for the operation and comprehensive scheduling of ethylene glycol processes. Covering an area of 2,490 square meters, it includes exhibition areas, operation areas, scheduling areas, observation areas, and functional areas. The entire building features seamless 5G coverage, as well as a central air conditioning system that maintains constant temperature and humidity and enables self-cleaning functions. Combined with a decoration style inspired by blue skies and white clouds, it creates an atmosphere that feels like being in nature. The 208 workstations are arranged in an array, distributed across 7 production areas and organized into separate operation zones according to the production process. The operators on duty will gather here to control all aspects of ethylene glycol production, thereby enabling a flat-based production scheduling management model. Digital delivery, developed concurrently with the project, has also made its appearance on this intelligent stage. By integrating dynamic data into 3D models, it creates a digital twin of the factory that mirrors the actual one, offering views from various aspects such as equipment, pipelines, materials, temperature, and pressure, as well as from multiple perspectives including above ground, underground, and in the air. This not only provides data support for future device upgrades, equipment maintenance, and project applications, but also offers employees a broad learning platform by combining it with the OTS simulation training system. 5G is the cornerstone of smart factories; to date, 8 base stations have been installed in this project, ensuring full coverage of 5G signals. In the future, a range of intelligent technologies based on 5G networks such as advanced control, optimization and coordination, drone inspections, video imaging, wireless sensing, personnel positioning, smart equipment, and simulation drills will be widely utilized, which will also provide impetus for the development of intelligent ethylene glycol factories. There are many, many more intelligent applications in these projects, ranging from the monitoring of the shaft systems in shielded pumps to the intelligent temperature control of centrifugal pumps ； From one-key start/stop of reciprocating machines to intelligent load variation of steam turbines ； From automatic control of individual devices to intelligent control of the entire process ； From the “individual operation” of a single device to “multi-party coordination” across the entire plant... a series of software and hardware installations and tests are in full swing. A range of new technologies such as 5G, big data, artificial intelligence, blockchain, and the Internet of Things are driving social progress and development. Amid the turbulent waves of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the Sanning people are accelerating the construction of intelligent ethylene glycol factories, and will surely move forward along with the trend toward intelligence.